Starting to play the Guitar

19th November 2012

A pub guitar group - beginners…….. 

these were not beginners but they were very good and very friendly.

made me thing about starting to play the guitar, so i did.

over the next few nights i started to learn chords.

G D Em A        

Then i added C over the next weeks, this was difficult, could remember the finger shape, but just in the wrong place.

went to a pub group meeting 21st november 12 1st night for us

all beginners and friendly too enjoyed it

over the week still practicing the same chords G D Em A now C and Am and E 

this week can now play along to a song a little bit 

PEACEFULL EASY FEELING by the EAGLES

still needs lots of work but getting there

25th November 2012

went and bought a beautiful guitar - Washburn semi acoustic its lovely to hold and play

11th February 2013

I have now had my beautiful guitar for 3 months now

chords i can play are

G D C Em Am Em7 G/B A A7 A7sus4 

its not many chords but at least i can play a few songs with these 

Redemption Song

Who will stop the rain

Peaceful easy feeling

Big Yellow Taxi

Mad World

Jolene

i'm the urban spaceman  

bad moon rising

Mad world

I am learning to play

time of your life

baby can i hold you

I would love to learn more songs but its just finding ones i like, i know there is a lot out there, but i can never remember them when i start looking.

This week found another couple of song to learn - I visit a couple of sites that give you loads of songs to choose from, I have a favorite list so that i can go back and play or print them.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/
paste and copy the link its really good.

19th February 2013

today practised a couple of songs

Redemption Song
Mad-world
I'm the urban spaceman
Apologize

I can tell everyday that i am getting a little better.

I dont like the F chord but i do practise this as it is a night mare.

17th September 2013 

Hi again,

Thought I would just do a little update on the guitar playing.

I must admit I have not been practising the F chord, Shame on me I know, If I had have done I would be playing it spot on by now, but lesson learned and from now on I will have a go at it every day. (promise)

I can now play a few of the above songs without the song sheet in front of me.... 

Mad World - Tears for Fears
Apologise - Timbaland (I think)
Payphone - Maroon 5
Joleene - Dolly Parton 
Good Riddance - Green Day

I want to learn more, I don't have enough time to fit all my hobbies in, its so frustrating.

19th October 2013

Hi there

I have been practising the F chord but it still not smooth moving between chords, but its getting a little better to do the F shape. 
Hope you are practising to
One day I will post me playing and singing - so you can see how I'm getting on.

learning to play the Ukulele

Christmas 2011 my hubby bought me a Ukulele for christmas, my first thoughts were, I can't play one of these, my son played guitar and sounded brill, hubby plinked a bit on his guitar.

2 years later and i can play a range of songs some chords i cannot play but i can play lots of songs, not from memory which is a bit of a bind, but i have a folder that have all my favorite songs it, it just keeps getting thicker.

I self taught through Youtube, Ukulele mike was fabulous he was my nightly tutor, blimey were my fingers sore, I could not play for a week until they had stopped hurting.  when they had toughened up a bit i could play for longer each week.

My fingers ached at being bent in different positions, I could not play the E chord, even now i find bar chords a struggle, well in fact i just dont play them.  Even now i cannot play the E chord very well, i usually play the Em or Em7.

My favorite songs at the moment are

Baker Street
Redemption Song
Logical Song
Echo Beach


and many more.........

I remember i started by finding a song that i could play along to which used 4 chords

C Am F G

when i found i was comfy playing those chords then i would add another one in.

finger shapes are really important, even if you dont play a tune just practice strumming the chords.

Oh and the blinking strumming patterns, grrrrrrrr i nearly lost my mind over them.  I watched ukulele mike over and over again trying to understand the DD UU D, i nearly packed it all in.   but no i really loved singing my heart out and strumming my little ukulele.


More to follow <><><><><><><><><><><><>

19th February 2013

Yesterday picked my Favorite uke up and had a litte strum, well 5 songs later I decided to put it down for a rest.  I was a little rusty because not played it for nearly a week.  I find that the strumming patterns are getting easier and i can strum along to songs better than i could at the beginning.

If you are a beginner, keep at it, it is worth all the hard work.  I know I am well and truly hooked.

Take care till next time.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Hi there

Yup, I'm still playing the ukelele and I can play a lot more chords, some are still a bit tricky, and the strumming patterns are getting a little easier, I find it worse trying to remember the songs I have heard on the radio and trying to remember them when I get home, its the hazards of getting older me thinks.

Take care till next time
Kriss